George Lucas, Guillermo del Toro, Doug Chiang, & Queen Latifah Celebrate narrative art in historic comic-con international panel

Hall H panel drew record-breaking audience for a captivating
discussion about the power of illustrated stories and the
forthcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art

SAN DIEGO, CA, July 27, 2025 —George Lucas presented an exclusive preview and shared new details about the upcoming Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which is set to open in Los Angeles in 2026, during a panel at Comic-Con International in San Diego, California. The Hall H event—moderated by artist, actress, and producer Queen Latifah—featured Lucas alongside Oscar-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro and renowned artist and production designer Doug Chiang. It became one of the convention’s most talked-about sessions, drawing more than 6,000 attendees on its final day, July 27th.

Co-founded by Lucas and Mellody Hobson, the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art will be the world’s first institution dedicated to narrative art, highlighting illustrated storytelling across different cultures and historical periods, from ancient cave paintings and children’s book illustrations to comic books and digital media.

Opening the panel, Lucas shared his passion for collecting narrative art over five decades: “Society cannot exist without a common belief system. And that’s where illustration is vital to show you what that means in everyday life,” Lucas stated, emphasizing how the museum “is a temple to the people’s art.”

Del Toro, a Lucas Museum board member and celebrated champion of visual storytelling, spoke to the emotional depth and social power of narrative art. “Imagine if we only had classical music, and rock-n-roll was never created? This is rock-n-roll and rock-n-roll needs to be enshrined,” del Toro said, drawing parallels between the museum’s eclectic collection and the panel’s genre-defying filmography.

Doug Chiang, Lucasfilm’s Senior Vice President and Executive Design Director, provided a fascinating testament to the importance of exposing young people to comic art and illustration. Said Chiang, “Comic art and magazine illustration were kind of looked down upon…but it was a way for me to enjoy art, and it invited me to learn more about art. And what I love about what George and Mellody are doing with this museum is they are acknowledging and giving respect to artists who really haven’t been highlighted before.”

Moderator Queen Latifah expertly navigated the discussion, and brought humor, insight, and personal reflection to the panel. With a deep appreciation for comics and visual culture, she linked the panelists’ creative journeys to the emotional power of storytelling: “The connection that I hear in our various conversations is emotion—an emotional connection that the art evokes from you. That’s one of the most important things to never forget. I think when people step into this museum, they will be emotionally affected by it.”

During the panel, Latifah also mentioned some of the other art in the collection, including the first-ever Flash Gordon comic strip, an original splash page from Black Panther (1968), and original Peanuts strips from the 1950s and ’60s, among many others.

The panel concluded with a standing ovation, a testament to the audiences’ anticipation for this first-of-its-kind cultural institution.